Child Safeguarding Policies and Procedures
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CHILD SAFEGUARDING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES APU PALAMGUWAN CULTURAL EDUCATION CENTER A cultural and ecological school of the Pulangiyēn Sitio Bendum, Barangay Busdi, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon Mindanao, Philippines Website: https://apupalamguwancenter.essc.org.ph Malaybalay Office: Paz dela Cerna Street, Barangay Sumpong, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon (Tel +63888132840) Manila Office: 1/F Manila Observatory building, Ateneo de Manila University Campus, Loyola Heights, Quezon City (Tel +63289260452) APC Safeguarding Policies and Procedures, updated March 2020 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................ 5 II. PRINCIPLES ................................................................................................... 5 A. SAFE SELF ...................................................................................................... 5 B. BUILDING STAFF CAPACITY .................................................................... 5 C. EMPOWERING YOUNG PEOPLE IN SAFEGUARDING THEMSELVES ........................................................................................................ 5 D. PROVIDING CARE AND RESPECTING PRIVACY ................................. 6 E. EMPOWERING PARENTS AND COMMUNITY ...................................... 6 III. RELATED INTERNATIONAL DECLARATIONS AND NATIONAL LEGISLATION ................................................................................................ 6 IV. PREVENTIVE MEASURES .......................................................................... 7 A. SCREENING AND CAPACITATING STAFF.............................................. 7 1. SAFE RECRUITMENT .............................................................................. 7 2. HUMAN RESOURCES MEASURES ....................................................... 8 3. STAFF ORIENTATION .............................................................................. 8 4. SUPPORT, SUPERVISION, AND FORMATION .................................... 9 B. EMPOWERING STUDENTS ........................................................................ 9 C. OPERATIONAL POLICIES .......................................................................... 9 1. FACILITIES ................................................................................................. 9 2. STAFF-STUDENT BOUNDARIES ........................................................... 9 3. PHOTOS AND VIDEOS ........................................................................... 10 D. WORKING WITH PARENTS ..................................................................... 10 E. WORKING WITH COMMUNITY ............................................................. 10 V. DEFINITIONS AND INDICATORS............................................................ 11 A. DEFINITION OF A CHILD ......................................................................... 11 B. DEFINITIONS AND INDICATORS OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT ......... 11 1. SEXUAL ABUSE........................................................................................ 11 2. PHYSICAL ABUSE ................................................................................... 12 3. EMOTIONAL OR PSYCHOLOGICAL ABUSE ................................... 12 4. NEGLECT .................................................................................................. 13 5. WITNESSING FAMILY VIOLENCE ..................................................... 13 VI. RESPONSIVE MEASURES ......................................................................... 13 A. DISCLOSURE AND INITIAL REPORTING OF CONCERN ................. 13 B. INQUIRIES AND VERIFICATION ............................................................ 14 C. DISCERNMENT AND RESOLUTION OF CASES .................................. 14 APC Safeguarding Policies and Procedures, updated March 2020 3 1. WHEN ONLY YOUNG PERSONS ARE INVOLVED .......................... 14 2. WHEN RESPONDENTS INVOLVE STAFF .......................................... 15 3. WHEN THERE IS NO CASE................................................................... 15 4. WHEN STAFF ARE THREATENED ...................................................... 15 5. DEALING WITH INCIDENCES OF FAMILY VIOLENCE ............... 16 D. REPORTING TO OFFICIAL AUTHORITIES ............................................. 16 VII. MANAGEMENT ................................................................................... 16 VIII. BASIC ORIENTATION WORKSHOP ON SAFEGUARDING OF MINORS ......................................................................................................... 17 ANNEX A. APC Child Safeguarding poster in English ................................... 19 ANNEX B. APC Child Safeguarding poster in Pulangiyēn ............................. 20 ANNEX C. APC Child Safeguarding poster in Bisaya ..................................... 21 APC Safeguarding Policies and Procedures, updated March 2020 4 I. INTRODUCTION The Apu Palamguwan Cultural Education Center (APC) is a Jesuit-run and community-based cultural and ecological school of the Pulangiyēn people of Sitio Bendum, Barangay Busdi, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon. As such, it operates under the auspices of the Bendum Tribal Council and the Bendum village head, Datu Nestor Menaling, as one who holds cultural leadership in the community and maintains the relations between families as well as the cultural relations among the villages from whence APC students come. The APC way of proceeding is grounded in cultural values and observant of cultural practices. The Pulangiyēn people of Bukidnon are historically known as manananul hu mga balu daw ilu or carers of widows and orphans. In times past when different communities were infighting, the Pulangiyēn took on the role of taking care of those left widowed and orphaned by the conflicts. To this day, the Pulangiyēn continue to care for relatives left widowed and orphaned and also look out for the wellbeing of vulnerable members of the community. It is in this spirit of caring for the most vulnerable among us that the APC undertakes preventive and responsive measures in safeguarding the children and young people within its schools and dalēpaan (the cultural home of students from other villages who study at APC). The school works with parents and the Bendum Tribal Council, particularly the Datu, as the principal person in a culture-based school, in this undertaking. II. PRINCIPLES A. SAFE SELF The most important thing in safeguarding children is for adults who work and care for them to be possessed of a Safe Self. This entails psychological, relational, and sexual maturity that enables adults to seek out positive relationships with peers and engage in healthy ways with young people and children. APC screens for Safe Self during recruitment and promotes it through ongoing support and formative programs. B. BUILDING STAFF CAPACITY Staff capacity is grounded on safe self and built on with orientation and ongoing support, supervision, and formation. All staff members must have a shared understanding of APC’s safeguarding policies and procedures and must be enabled in observing and implementing them. C. EMPOWERING YOUNG PEOPLE IN SAFEGUARDING THEMSELVES Beyond capacitating staff, children and young people must be empowered in safeguarding themselves. They must have an understanding of their rights, an awareness of the forms of abuse and possible threats to and among young people, and APC Safeguarding Policies and Procedures, updated March 2020 5 knowledge of the ways in which they can safeguard themselves and of avenues for reporting and support when they feel unsafe or find themselves in harm’s way. D. PROVIDING CARE AND RESPECTING PRIVACY Observing confidentiality in responding to safeguarding concerns is important in respecting the privacy of both complainants and respondents. Recognizing the state of vulnerability of both parties, care and support are provided to each, even as a child’s welfare must always come first. E. EMPOWERING PARENTS AND COMMUNITY APC reaches beyond the confines of its schools and dalēpaan to orient and partner with parents and community in the overall safeguarding of children and young people from all forms of threats and abuses. III. RELATED INTERNATIONAL DECLARATIONS AND NATIONAL LEGISLATION APC recognizes international declarations and national legislation on child protection that includes the following: 1. UN Convention on the Rights of the Child or UNCRC (1989) - https://www.ohchr.org/en/professionalinterest/pages/crc.aspx The UNCRC is a legally-binding international human rights treaty setting out the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of every child, regardless of race, religion or abilities with four core principles: • Non-discrimination • Devotion to the best interests of the child • Right to life, survival and development • Respect for the views of the child 2. UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples or UNDRIP (2007) (https://www.un.org/development/desa/indigenouspeoples/declaration-on-the- rights-of-indigenous-peoples.html) The UNDRIP was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 13 September 2007 with the Philippines voting in favor. Due to a rise in violence and abuse against Indigenous Peoples, the UN drafted this declaration as an aspiration for how indigenous individuals and peoples should be treated. Included in this declaration are the following: • Human rights and fundamental freedoms • equality and non-discrimination • Cultural heritage, knowledge, and languages • Conservation